Cotton-picker.



PATBNT'VED' JUNE-.39, 1903. J.' GRIFFIN.

coTToN P IGKBI v 1 APPLIUATION FILED NOV.12, 1901.

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vvNo. 732,546.

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J. GRIFFIN COTTON PICKER. APPLIUATION FILED Nv. 12, 1901.

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ATTORNEYS PATENTED JUNE a0, 1903. 1

J. GRIFFIN.

COTTON PICKER.

APPLIOATION FILED nov. 12. 17901.

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'Patented .Tune 30, 196e.

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No. reame.

JOHN GRIEEIN, oF GREENVILLE, MIssIssIPP. f

COTTQNFPICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 732,546, dated June 30, 1903 i Application and November 12,1901. seralnasioe. (No modem To aZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Greenville, in the county of Vashington and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and Improved Cotton-Picker, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a pneumatic cotton-picker provided with amotor and traction mechanism for driving it `through'the fields and having an air-blast apparatus operated electrically under the control of an operator or operators. 1

This specification is a specific description of two forms of my invention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allv the views.

Figure l isa perspective View of a complete machine. Fig. 2 is asectional detail view of devices for controlling the air-blast. Fig. 3 is a section of the receiving end of the cottontube. Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of the structure shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 indicates the means for unloading cotton.

a indicates the body of the apparatus,which is mounted on traction-wheels b and steeringwheels c and is adapted to pass over the cotton-stalks.

e indicates a motor of any suitable sort, which is carried on the body a and connected to drive revolubly a suitably-mounted transverse shaft e. From this shaft the wheels b are driven by sprocket-gearing b. j

f indicates an air-pump driven from the shaft e and connected by a tube f' with al tank f2, from which the air is exhausted or partly exhausted by the pump f.

g indicates a dynamo driven from the shaft e.

c indicates a steering-'shaft connected -by miter-gearing c2 with a counter-shaft c3, and

this latter shaft is connected by sprocketgearingo4 with the forks of the Wheels c.

CZ indicates a hopper. receiving the cotton from the picking devices, to be hereinafter described. ,This hopper is covered by a netting d and is provided (see Fig. 5) with` an .opening d2 in its bottom. Commanding the opening (Z2 is a closure d3, which swings around fast on the bottom of the hopper. On the lower end ofthe shaft df* is mounted a hoop d5,

rial and carry downwardly-opening fiinnels' 7L', adapted to be placed over the cotton-boils which are to be picked. The flexible tubes 72, are joined at their upper ends to vertical sections of metallic tubes h2, which pass through horizontal tubes h3 and project upward intoA the hopper d.

At the upper ends of the tubes h2 are arranged valves t', which have their stemsv pivoted on studs z", projecting out from the tubes. The stems of the valvest' the axis of a short vertical shaft d4, carried have forked. extensions t2, connected to the stems is of iiexible diaphragms i4. These diaphragms if* are arranged in cups 5, carried on the tubes h2 and communicating with the interior thereof by perforations in the tubes, as shown. g rarefied, the valves i will bel drawn into closed position;l but this tendency is partly counteracted by the drawing inward of the diaphragms Z4. Thus the valves z' are' balanced -and maybe opened by slight outward pressure thereon.

fi indicates a by-pass which is uncovered as the valve moves outward, thus permitting a current of air to rush into the tube behind the cotton and accelerate its passage past the valve.

The tubes h3 communicate with the tubes h2 by perforations h5 therein and lead, respectively, to boxes h4, which communicate with branches f4 of the tank f2. The boxes h4 are each formed with two chambers, with the lower of which the tubes h3 communicate, and the upper of which are each divided by perforated partitions k and a flexible ldiaphragm Below each partitionvk'fthe upper cham bers of the boxes h4 are in communication with the atmosphere. Extending through the boxes h4 are the hollow stems k' of the valves k2, which command communication between the branches f4 and-boxes h4.` The hollow stems lo communicate by orifices b4 with the spaces above the diaphragms 7c3, and said VShould the air in the tubes h2 be Y IOO Above each boX h4 is arranged a case Z i these cases each containing a major electromagnet Z and a minor magnet Z2. The armature Z3 of the major magnet is connected to the stem Zo of the valve k2, so that when the magnet is attracted the valve k2 is opened. The circuit of the magnet Z `is controlled by contact devices Z4, connected to the armature Z5 of the minor magnet Z2, so that when the armature Z5 is attracted the magnet Z is energized. The insulated conductors (wires) from each magnet Z2 lead down the respective tubes h2 ZL and are in connection, respectively, with the tongue m on a fin ger-piece m and a contact-block m2. This latter element is arranged to slide in an insulated guide ons,

carried on the stem of the funnel ZM, immediately` adjacent thereto, and is actuated manually through the medium of a screw mthreaded, in the guide. The guides m3 are formed with inclined ribs m5 thereon. The tongues m are normallyin contact with the blocks m2, but when in use the operator keeps the fingerpieces m' pressed inward toward the tubes. The tongues are thus caused to slide over the blocks m2 and up the ribs 1115, thus breaking contact with the blocks and breaking the circuit of which the magnet Z2 forms a part. This drops the armature Z5, denergizes the magnet Z', and in dropping the armature Z3 allows the valve 7a2 to close. This is the position of rest of the valve devices as the machine is being drawn through the fields. To close the circuit and lift the valve 7a2, the iinger m should be released. This will cause the tongue m to slide on the block m2 and close the circuit of which said block forms a part. Now itis clear that by adjusting the position of the blocks m2 with respect to the ribs m5 by the screws on. the instant at which the circuit of the magnet Z2 is closed may be varied at will, thus providing :for closing the valve 7a2 at any chosen time. The separate circuits of both magnets are energized from the dynamo g.

The circuit-opening devices shown in Fig. 3 are adapted to be operated bymanual power applied directly to the finger-piece m. In Fig. 4 I have shown an alternative arrangement which might be resorted to, if desired. By this, the circuit is closed by the mere act of placing the funnel ZL over the cotton-boli, the devices being arranged in the funnel and the finger-lever m of Fig. 3 being replaced by an arm m, knuckle-jointed to the funnel ZL', so as normally to hold the position shown, and adapted to be en gaged and thrown inward by chine is caused to be propelled through the field and one or more persons, either walking behind or riding upon the machine, carry the funnels h in hand. The pump f is started and the tank f 2 is as nearly exhausted as possible. As the cotton-bolls are approached the funnels are placed over the bolls and the electrical apparatus manipulated, as above described, so as to open the valves Zt?. The atmospheric-air now rushes into the tubes ZL and the cotton is instantly sucked into the tubes Zi. The cotton passeson at considerable velocity into the tubes h2, and then the valve 7a2 is closed, thus stopping the air-current. This should bedone immediately upon the cotton reaching the perforations h5 in the tube h2, and then the cotton passes o n by its momentum out ot' this tube h2 past the balanced valve z', which readily opens to the pressure of the cotton. i The hopper (Z receives thc cotton from the tubes 712. The opening of thc valve 7a2 is efiected (see Fig. 3) by the `operator releasing the fingeihpiece on' immediately after the funnel is placed over the cotton or (see Fig. 4) by the cotton itselfstriking the arm m on its way intothe funnel. By means of the screw m4 the parts may be set to work in proper time. It should be understood that it is only necessary to keep the valve 7a2 open` for an instant, just sufiiciently to allow the cotton to nearly reach the perforations Zr" and by its momentum go on to the valve Z. This mode of operation conserves power and avoidstriction Aat the perforations.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention. I-Ience Iconsider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. An electrically-controlled pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising the combination of a tube adapted to have the cotton passed through it said tube being perforated intermediate its ends, suction mechanism communicating with the tube through the perforations therein, said suction mechanism comprising walls forming a chamber adapted to be placed in communication with a pump, and a valve controlling the inlet to said chamber, electromagnetic means for actuating the valve, a circuit-closing device for controlling said electromagnetic means, and a wheeled vehicle on which said parts are mounted.

2. An electricallycontrolled pneumatic cot- IOO IIO

ton-picker, comprising the combination of a tube adapted to have the cotton passed through it, said tube being perforated interwith the tube at the perforationthereof, al

valve commanding the discharge end of the tube, a cup located adjacent to the discharge end of the tube and communicating with the interior thereof, saidrcup including a diaphragm arranged therein, and a connection between the diaphragm and the valve.

4. A pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising a tube adapted to have the cotton passed through it, said tube being intermediately perforated, a suction device communicating with the tube through said perforation, a valve commanding the discharge end of the tube, and walls forminga by-pass opening into the tube intermediate the said perforation and the valve, said by-pass being closed by the valve simultaneously7 with the closure of the tube thereby.

5. An electrically-controlled pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising atube adapted to have the cotton'passed through it, said tube being intermediately perforated and having at one end a receiving-funnel, a suction apparatus communicating with the tube through the perforation therein, electromagnetic devices controlling the suction apparatus, and contact devices for the said electromagnetic devices, the contact devices being located in the funnel to be operated by the pressure of the cotton.

6. A pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising a tube adapted to have the cotton passed through it, said tube being intermediately perforated, a tank, a pump communicating with the tank, a tube establishing communication between the tank and the perforation of the tube, for the purpose specified, a valve commanding such communication, a hollow stem attached to said valve, a diaphragm attached to the stem, a box in which said diaphragm is located, the diaphragm dividing the boX into two chambers, one of said chambersbeing in communication with the atmosphereand the other chamber being inl communication with the interior of the hollow stem, and means for operating the valve.

7. An electrically-controlled pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising the combination of a tube adapted to have the co'tton passed through it, said tube being perforated intermediate its ends, suction mechanism communicating with the tube through the perforations thereof, said suction mechanism comprising wallsforming a chamber, a pump, communicating with said chamber, a valve controlling the inlet to said chamber, electromagnetic means for actuating -the valve, a circuit-closing device for controlling said electromagnetic means, a Wheeled vehicle on which said parts are mounted, and means for driving the pump from a mobile part of the vehicle.

8. A pneumatic cotton-picker, comprising a tube adapted to have the cotton passed through it, said tube being intermediately being in communication with the interior of the hollow stem, means for operating the valve, a wheeled vehicle on which said parts `are carried, and means for operating the pump from a mobile part .of the vehicle.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN GRIFFIN.

Vitnesses: Y

S. C. BULL, Jr., H. N. BERRY. 

